Lumber-drying kiln.



R. G. FIOKETT, DBCD.

n. r. w. noxz'r'r, EXEOUTBIX.

LUMBER DRYING KILN.

APPLIUATION FILED 001'. 1a, 1910.

1,O48,!=48. Patented Dec.24,1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Q i w M INVENTOR' WITNESSES ATTORNEY R. G. PIOKETT, DEG'D.

H. I. W. IIOKETT, BXBUUTRIX.

LUMBER DRYING KILN.

APPLICIATION IILBD 00T.15, 1910.

Patented Dec. 24, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY R. G. FIUKETT, DEGD. I

H. r. w. IIOKETT, EXEOUTRIX.

LUMBER DRYING KILN.

APPLICATION FILED our. 15, 1910.

1 ,048, 448 Patented Dec. 24, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I m BY I 0% ATTORNEY R. C. FIOKETT, DEOD.

LUMBER DRYING KILN.

APPLIOATION FILED 00T.15,1910.

1,048,448. Patented De0.24, 1912.

IIIIIIIII INVENTOR ATTORNEY and particularly claimed.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHIM OND G. FICKETT, DECEASED, LATE 0F PHILADELPIEIA, PENNSYLVANIA, BY HELEN I. WEAVER FICKETT, EXEGUTBIX, 0E PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LUMBER-DRYING KILN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24, 1912.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that RICHMOND C. FICKE'I'I, late a citizen of theJUnited States, deceased, late of the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, and whose last post-ofiice address was No. 1706 Erie avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, did in his lifetime invent certain new and useful Improvements in Lumber-Dryin Kilns, of which the followin .is a full, 0 car, and exact description, re erence'being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification. v

This invention relates to lumber.

The objectof the invention is to provide a kiln of novel, simple and efficient construction, having provision whereby a pile of lumber within the kiln and containing more moisture in some parts than in other parts thereof, may be uniformly steamed to saturate the lumber so that the moisture contained in all parts thereof will be substantially uniform throughout the entire pile kilns for drying preparatory to drying; and. whereby the' lumber may be substantially. uniformly dried, as will be hereinafter fully described In the drawings -Figure 1 is a vertical section through the improved kiln. Fig.- 2 is a horizontal sec'tion thereof, on line 2,-l"2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section thereof, on line 3-3" of Fig.1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section transversely of the kiln through one of the flue's and adjuncts; Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the lower portion of the twoflues on one side of the kiln, showin the regulating dampers therefor. Fig. 6 1s a section through a portion of the large air pipe leading to the top of the kiln, showing the damper in the pipe. 4, 4, designates the side walls, 5 the rear wall, 6 the front wall, 7 the bottom, and 8 the top of an inclosed chamber 9 adapted to receive the lumber to be dried.

. The front wall 6 of the chamber is provided with an opening 10 therein, through whial lumber may be introduced to and removed'from the chamber 9. This opening 10 is provided'with' an inner curtain 11 and a pair of outer doors 12, by means of which" the opening IO'may be closed. The to of the curtain 11 is secured to the to we of the opening 10', and. the bottomo thecur tain 11 is provided with a suitable roller 13 upon which the'curtain 11 may be rolled and raised to afford access to the interior of the chamber 9 through the opening 10; and the doors .12 are hung upon rollers 14 which run I.

17, 17 and 18, 18 also extend through the opening 10 to the outside of the chamber 9 and form two tracks upon which two car loads of lumber may be run into the chamber 9 side b side, a portion of a car load of lumber'19 eing shown in Fig. 1, upon one of {)he tracks and in position to enter the chamer 9.

Suitably supported within the chamber 9 below the tracks 17 and 18- and the I-beams supporting the same, are two manifolds of steam pipes 20 and 21 respectively, the forward ends of which are connected together by a steam pipe 22. These manifolds may be supplied with steam through a pipe 23 leading from the main'steam supply pipe 21 for the purpose of heating the interior of the chamber 9. The pipe 23 is provided with a suitable valve 25 by means of which the steam from the main steam supply ipe 24'may be opened or closedto the mani olds 20 and 21. r

Arranged within'the chamber 9 adjacent the two side walls 1, 4, thereof, are walls forming four fines 26, two lines being arranged near the front wall 6 of the chamber, and two flues being arranged near the rear wall of the chamber, as shown.' These fines 26 extend upwardly through the chamwardly from the upper ends of the flues 26 and to prevent down drafts therein. The lower ends of the flues 26 are open, as-at 28, to the interior of the chamber 9 below the tracks 17 .and 18, and the lower portion Ibo the dampers 29 of the two flues 26 adjacent one wall 4, are connected to a single rod 7 32, as shown in Fig. 6 and the dampers of the two flues 26 adjacent the other wall 4 are similarly connected to a single rod; Each rod 32 extends forwardly through and beyond the front wall 6 of the chamber 9, and is adapted to be moved forwardly by hand to operate the dampers 29 to open the flues 26, and rearwardly by hand to operate the dampers 29 to close the fines. 26.

The upper portions of the interiors of the lines 26 .are heated by steam pipes 33, which extend from below the I-beams 16 upwardly adjacent the outer walls of the lines 26 and then inwardly, as at 34, to the interiors of the fiues 26, and then upwardly through the interiors I of the fiues. The upper end of each pipe 34 is provided with an enlarged drum-like portion 35, the upper end of which is provided with a small perforation to permit steamv to escape therefrom. It will thus be seen that when steam is supplied to the pipes 33, the upper portions of the interiors of the flues will'be heated, thereby causing the air therein to ascend and draw air'from the interiortof the lower portion of the chamber 9 into the openings 28 in-the flues 26 and expel the same from the tops of the flues.

The lower ends of the pipes 33 are connected to a U-shaped pipe 36, which in turn is connected by a pipe 37 to the main steam supply pipe 24, whereby steam may be supplied to the pipes 33 and their enlarged portions 35 within the interiors of the upper portions of the flues 26, the supply of steam being controlled by a suitable valve 3.8 interruptingthe pipe 37.

In order to. supply steamto the interior ofthe chamber 9 for the purpose of steaming and moistenin'g the lumber contained therein, I provide three rows ofverticallyarranged steam pipes 39, which areperforated to permit steam to escape therefrom, one row being locatedbetween the two tracks 17 and 18, one row being located adjacent one side wall 4.0utwardly of the track' 17, and the other row being located adjacent the other side wall 4 and outwardly p of the track 18.

It will thus be seen that when two car loads of lumber are run into the chamber 9 on the two tracks 17 and 18 there will be a row of steam pipes 39 between the car loads of lumber and a row ofsteam pipes 39 adjacent the outer side of each carload of luma-f' ber. I .The lower ends of the. perforated steam pipes 39 of each row are connected to a horizontally-arranged steam pipe 40 located below the I-bea'ms 16, and connected together by a common pipe 41, which in turn is connected by a pipe 42 to the main steam supply pipe 24. The pipe 42 is provided with a suitable valve 43 to control the introduction of steam into the chamber 9 through the perforated pipes 39.

In order to introduce fresh air to the top of the chamber 9, I provide a pipe 44 having one end extending down through the top 8 of the chamber 9'and opening into the same and having its other end connected to a suitable fan or blower 45 located outside of the chamber 9 and adapted to be operated to blow fresh air into the top of the chamber. In addition to the pipe 44, there are provided spaced horizontal pipes 46, whichare perforated and extend transversely across'the top of the chamber '9 and are suitably supported therein. These pipes 46 are connected together by a pipe 47,

the ends of which are connected-to the up.- per ends of vertical pipes 48. The lower ends of pipes 48 are connected to a horizontal pipe 49, which extends outwardly through one of the side walls 4, and is connected to the air pipe 44 leading from the blower 45.

It will thus be seen that when fresh air is supplied to the top of the chamber 9 through the large pipe 44, fresh air will also be supplied. to the top of the chamber 9 through the perforations in the small pipes 46. The pipe 44 is provided with a suitable damper 50 located above the pipe 49, whereby when the damper 50 is closed, the fresh air will be supplied to the top of the chamber 9 only through the perforatedpipes 46. The perforated pipes 46 distribute the fresh air throughout the upper portion of the chamber 9, and the damper 50 is opened to permit air to enter the chamber 9 through the pipe 44 only when it is desired, to cool the lumber quickly.

In order to draw vapor from the lower portion of the chamber 9 during the drying of the lumber, I provide a pipe 51 ex-' tending into the chamber 9 along the bottom 7 thereof and having an inner open end located about the center of the bottom of the chamber. The outer end of the pipe 51 is connected to a suitable fan or blower 52,

,which is adapted to be operated to draw the vapor from the lower portion of the interior of the chamber.

The operation of the kiln is as follows 3- The doors 12 .are opened, the curtain 11 is raised and two' car loads of lumber are run into the chamber 9 on the tracks 17 and 18, the lumber being piled upon each car to provide spaces between the different boards of the piles-of lumber upon the cars. The curtain 11 is then lowered, and the doors are shifted to close the chamber 9.

30 thus causing the b ower 45 to blow fresh This being done, the rods 32 are moved inwardly to close the fiues 26, and the valve 43 is opened to permit steam to enter the chamber 9 throughthe three rows of' perforated pipes 39 located adjacent the car loads of lumber. The steam thus introduced into the chamber 9 passes through the'spaces in the piles of lumber and saturates the lumber with steam until the moisture contained in all parts thereof will be substantially uniform. This steaming operation usually takes about twelve hours, but this of course may be variedin accordance with the diflerent conditions of the lumber to be dried.

After the lumber has been thoroughly steamed, the valve 43 is closed, the rods 32 are gradually moved outwardl to operate the dampers 29 to open the ues 26, and at the same time the-valve is gradually opened to introduce steam to the manifolds 20 and 21, and the valve 38 is gradually opened to introduce steam to the enlarged upper ends35 of the pipes 33. This opening of the dampers 29 and valves 25' and 38 is done very gradually, say during a period of from ten to twelve hours.

- The blowers and 52 are 0 rated after the valve 43 has, been close while the damper in the ipe 44 remains closed,

air through the perforated pipes 47 into the top of the chamber, 9, and causing the blower 52 to draw vapor from the bottom of the central portion of the chamber 9.

The operation of drying the lumber has now started, .the heat from the manifolds of steam pipes 20; and 21 heating the lumber and, driving themoisture therefrom,

which settles to the bottom of the chamber 9 and is drawn'ofi' through the pipe 51 and flues 26, while fresh air enters the top of the chamber 9 through the perforated pipes 46. The air heated at the bottom of the chamber 9 by the manifolds 20 and 21, naturally rises to the top of the chamber and is 'met' by the fresh cool air entering the top of the chamber through the perforated pipes 46'.

This, together with the air being drawn from the sides of the lower portionrof the chamber9 throu hthe flues 26, maintains a substantially uni orm temperature throughout thatportion of'the chamber 9 occupled by the lumber being dried... It will ofcourse ,be'understood that during the drying operation,-'the dampers 29 maybe adjusted to control the amount of air passin from the lower portion of the chamber, 9 t rough the flues 26, the blower 45 maybe ioperated to control the amount of fresh Iainbein .introduced to the top of the chamber 911: rough the perforated pipes 46, and the blower 52 maybe operated-.tocontrol the amount of air and vapordrawnlfrom the lower central portion'of the chamber 9, to meet the various requirements of the difi'erent conditions of the lumber being dried. It usually takes several days. to dry the lumber under these conditions after the same has been steamed; and after the drying o era tion, the valve 25 is closed to shut 0 the supply of steam to the manifolds 20 and 21, the damper 50 in the ipe 44 is o ened to permit a comparative y large volume of fresh air to be blown into the top of the chamber 9 through the pipe 44 for the purpose of quickly and uniformly cooling the umber before the doors 12 are opened, and the curtain 11 raised to open the chamber 9 and permit the removal of the car loads of lumber therefrom.

I claim 1 1. In a lumber kiln, walls forming a lumber-receiving chamber, walls forming a flue leading from the bottomcf the interior of the chamber to the exterior thereof, means for opening and closin said flue, a pi e leading from the top 0 the interior to t e exterior "of the chamber, means for introducing steam to said chamber, and means operative to blow air through said pipe and into. said chamber.

2. In a lumber kiln, walls forming a Tumber-receiving chamber, a pipe leading from the bottom of the interior to the exterior of the chamber means for introducing steam to said chamber, means 0 erative to exhaust steam and air from sai chamber through said pipe, a second pipe leadin from the top of the interior to the exter1or of said chamber, and means operative to blow air through the second named pipe and into said chamber.

3. In a lumber kiln, walls forming a lumwardly extending flue havin its lower portion open to the interiorof t e chamber and its u per portion open exteriorly of the cham r, a steam ipe. extendin through the lower portion 0? the flue and aving an enlargement within the u per portion of the flue, means for intro ucing steam to said p'pe, and means for heatmg the interior of the chamber.

4. In a lumber kiln, walls forming a lumber-receiving chamber, walls forming an air foutlet flue leading from the bottom of the .flue, a plpe operative to blow, air through said pipe ing said chamber.

5. In a lumber kiln, walls forming a lumber-receivin chamber, walls forming an air outlet flue eading from the bottom of the interior of the chamber to the exterior thereof, means for opening and closingsaid flue, a pipe leading from the bot-tom of the inber-receiving chamber, walls forming an upinterior of the chamber to the exterior thereof, means for opening and closing. said leading fromthe top of the interior to the exterior of the chamber, means and into saidchamber, and means for heat- I terior to the exterior of the chamber, means fixed my signature this third day of Ocbo- 10 ol laeratilille todexhaust air from said chamber ber AL D. 1910. Y t roug sai ipe, a second ipe leading from the top 0 1% the interior to t-he exterior Ewemwfim of of said chamber, means operative to blow Fiche deceased. air through the second'named pipe and into said chamber, and means for heating said Witnesses: chamber. A. M. BIDDLE,

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto af- R. A. DUNLAP. 

